


Something That I Want

by AlxSteele



Series: Through The Looking Glass [3]
Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: Alce being subtle...not, Alternate Universe, Developing Relationship, Episode 1x10 This World Inverted AU, First Date, Flirting!Alec, Fluff, Fluff and Smut, M/M, Malec, Post-This World Inverted, Smut, awkward!Magnus
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-20
Updated: 2016-03-20
Packaged: 2018-05-27 21:13:00
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,142
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6300625
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AlxSteele/pseuds/AlxSteele
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Set in the alternate universe from episode 10: This World Inverted. AU Malec goes on their first date! A fancy restaurant and drinks.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Something That I Want

**Author's Note:**

> Finally! Malec’s first date. Aka, what I meant to happen in the last part of this series. Happy coincidence, Manwameldiel asked for Alec to take Magnus to a fancy diner or drinks and I was already writing this so I adapted it slightly and here we are. Hope you enjoy and thanks for the prompt!
> 
> Title from the song Something That I Want by Grace Potter

After his phone rang for the third time, Magnus finally stepped away from his client — some middle-aged man in the midst of a midlife crisis — answering the phone without looking to see who it was calling.

“Hello, who is this?” he answered, glancing over his shoulder as the middle-aged man checked his reflection in his own phone screen. Magnus rolled his eyes and turned away.

“Magnus, hey, it’s Alec.”

“Oh. Right. Hey…” Magnus trailed off, eyes blown wide. Why hadn’t he checked who was calling before answering? Walking into his large, stainless steel kitchen, Magnus found himself standing straighter and smoothing his shirt before rolling his eyes at himself once more. It wasn’t as if Alec could see him right then. “How can I help you?” Magnus flinched at his own words.

Over the phone, he could hear Alec’s soft chuckle and had to stop himself from slapping his forehead.

“It was nice getting to know you the other night,” Alec continued as if Magnus hadn’t said anything. Magnus was sure he could hear him pacing on the other end of the phone.

“Er. Right.” Magnus wandered around the kitchen, picking up random utensils pointlessly as his stomach filled with something he absolutely refused to call butterflies.

“About that drink, how about tonight?” Magnus could hear the small, curving smile in Alec’s voice.

Magnus stopped with a spatula in hand, staring around him, overly aware of his paying customer in the other room – Magnus charged by the minute, a lot every minute, Also of the way his heart was racing in his chest. “Um… that sounds fun…” Magnus ran out of words as he heard a crashing sound quickly followed by a loud screech coming from the other room.

“Um, you know,” he said quickly, “Now’s not really a good time for me. Another time? Gotta go.” Hanging up, he rushed into the main room to find his client stumbling to his feet, Church glaring from atop the TV, a lamp tipped over and broken, and his tarot cards scattered across the floor.

“Demon cat,” Magnus mumbled, rushing forward as Church made to leap at the disheveled balding man.

***

Magnus wasn’t prepared at all for his first real date with Alec. Alec whose calls he’d been avoiding while pretending it was just because he was busy — which was partially true, he was starting a new business after all. Alec who showed up at his door — again — dressed in jeans that were unfairly tight, a dark purple V-neck that revealed too much of his tantalizing skin, and a dark jacket that fit him too perfectly. His hair was a littler messier than usual, making Magnus wonder if he’d done it on purpose or simply had a long day.

When Magnus had opened the door to his loft, it’d been to find Alexander leaning casually against the wall, near the staircase. He’d looked up from under dark eyebrows and even darker lashes, causing Magnus’ blood to run cold and then way too hot.

“I’m here to take you out for drinks.” Alec had said so sure of himself that Magnus had found he couldn’t manage to come up with any reason to argue. And, to be honest, looking Alec up and down again as Alec’s eyes remained locked on him, he couldn’t see why he’d want to.

Magnus had tried to at least change, dressed far too simply in a gray hoodie and his oldest jeans as Church has successfully ruined most of Magnus’ favorite sweaters, but Alec refused. “How do I know you won’t spend the time it takes getting ready devising yet another excuse to get out of drinks?” He’d teased, eyes sparkling in the dim light of the hall.

Magnus had stuttered for a minute before managing to spit out a few words. “I…I haven’t been making excuses.” But he had nothing else to say after that, and Alec had been smiling knowingly the whole time.

“Oh, I’m sure. You’re a very busy man, after all.”

And that’s how Magnus ended up sitting at the bar in some dim, romantically lit, very very expensive restaurant only a few minutes later. Magnus stared down at his cocktail, overly aware of how underdressed he was.

Alec shifted on his seat next to Magnus as they waited for their table. The restaurant was all deep reds and golds, soft instrumental music playing in the background, whispering voices creating white noise that was hemming him in. Alec’s arm rested lightly against Magnus’ own, as he turned his head, angling it down to make it easier to talk with their substantial height difference that was visible even while sitting.

“So,” Alec smirked, staring down at Magnus and refusing to speak again until Magnus met his gaze. “What have you been so very busy doing?”

Magnus was getting increasingly annoyed with his habit of forgetting how to speak in front of the beautiful boy. Having his magic locked up for so long had left Magnus more…vulnerable than he was used to. He hadn’t even noticed until the alternate universe’s Clary had helped unlock it once more. Every day his magic grew stronger and he began to feel more like himself…something was awakening in him. Something he wasn’t sure he could identify anymore. Whatever it was, he was more aware of it than ever when Alec was near. Yet he became a bumbling fool anytime the boy so much as looked at him.

“Hmm?” Magnus asked, trying to sound coyer than usual. He grabbed his cocktail, giving the glass a little twirl before taking a delicate sip. It made him feel ridiculous, but he went with it. “Oh, that.” he added after a moment, waving his hand. “I’m thinking of expanding my business.”

Alec looked interested, sipping his own drink before nodding to the bartender to get them refills. “Your psychic business?”

Magnus suddenly realized how odd he must seem, a physic reader and oh god, had Alec seen the commercial? Magnus really had helped those people but…he wasn’t psychic and didn’t that come off as…strange and undesirable? And now, talking of expanding… How could this date possible get worse?

Magnus took another drink before he continued, there was no backing out now. “Expanding…starting over with something new. A little of both.”

Alec arched his eyebrow and Magnus was briefly distracted once again by his wide hazel eyes. Clearing his throat, he continued. “I’m…going to open a storefront of sorts.”

“For…palm reading?” Alec guessed with a smile, but he wasn’t being condescending. Magnus sensed that he was truly interested.

Magnus laughed quietly. “Not quite. More…magical than that.” Magnus left off there, not wanting to let anything slip. It didn’t use to be so hard, back when there were demons and shadowhunters and the downworlders weren’t so…scattered. For so long Magnus had had to keep a part of him locked up, and he was just starting to discover it again. It was strange and exciting, and Alexander Lightwood just made things more…complicated. Still, Magnus couldn’t help but be happy that he’d shown up at his door again.

“I’m intrigued,” Alec smiled.

The bartender finally delivered their next round of drinks, briefly cutting off their conversation. Alec raised his cocktail, his long slim fingers gripping the glass stem of his martini cup lightly. “To…the future,” he said after a moment of thought, head cocked to the side.

Magnus raised his glass with a hesitant but sincere smile.

"If you’re starting a new business, then a party is in order.” Alec remarked after they were seated in a cozy corner booth. Sitting opposite of each other, Alec kept finding excuses to reach over, brushing his fingers against Magnus’ hand. Magnus only barely stopped himself from flinching every time as his stomach flipped and blood heated.

“I’m not really much for parties,” Magnus replied, causing Alec to flash his full-fledged smile, something he seemed to only do rarely.

His eyes danced as he replied, “Oh really? We’ll just have to fix that, won’t we?”

Magnus stared down at his plate, absently bouncing his leg under the table until Alec trapped his one foot with both of his. Looking up, Magnus’ breath caught somewhere in the back of his throat. Alec was staring at him intently for seemingly no reason. Magnus couldn’t bring himself to look away, even as they passed the part where it would officially be awkward for one of them not to.

Magnus didn’t notice that he was underdressed anymore. Forgot about spilling his drink when Alec had first touched his hand as they sat down. Forgot how different they were — Alec so sure of himself for such a young mundane, and Magnus completely out of practice with…everything. The whole world in those moments was made up of hazel eyes, dark lashes, and increasingly messy hair.

“Gentlemen, can I get you anything else this evening?”

Magnus startled as the waiter appeared next to their table. Alec still hadn’t looked away and Magnus felt himself getting flustered as he turned to the waiter — the weight of Alec’s gaze never leaving him. Magnus opened his mouth but Alec beat him to replying. “Chocolate cake, please. One piece, two forks,” he added.

As the waiter nodded and hurried away, Magnus looked back to Alec to find him looking at him still, a now familiar smile teasing the corner of his lips up.

They shared the cake without saying much. The walk back to Magnus’ flat was comfortable, leaving Magnus feeling slightly unsettled but mostly content as they climbed the stairs and stopped outside the door to his loft.

Standing awkwardly, Magnus internally cursed when he opened his mouth and the first thing to fall out was about his cats. “I’m sure Church has destroyed the place by now.”

Alec laughed, something that sounded like it always surprised him. “You know, you’ve talked about your cats a few times now, but I’ve yet to see them. I’m starting to wonder if they’re another excuse to avoid me.”

Magnus glanced up from staring at his feet to find Alec closer than ever, barely a breath of space between them. He had to crane his neck slightly to meet his eyes. Breathing in before speaking, he could smell Alec’s aftershave, sweet with just a hint of mint. He breathed in deeply a second time. “I assure you, I would not lie about the evilness that is Church.” Magnus blinked slowly, watching another smile curve up Alexander’s mouth inch by inch.

Alec was still smiling as he leaned down, closer and closer to Magnus, never breaking eye contact. He stopped with his lips a mere inch from Magnus’, just far enough for them not to brush as he talked. “I had fun tonight.”

Magnus swallowed hard, opening his mouth without having words to say. Alec’s eyes were even brighter close-up, also lighter than Magnus had thought they were. They breathed the same air, and each time Magnus breathed in his lungs held less and less. Alec blinked slowly, leaving his eyes closed a few seconds longer than necessary before leaning the extra half inch. Magnus’ breath caught in his throat, eyes closing briefly as Alec’s lips brushed lightly against his cheek.

Magnus exhaled slowly when Alec moved back half a step, smirking down at him again. “Goodbye, Magnus.” He whispered softly.

“Goodbye, Alexander.”

Magnus felt no shame watching Alec turn around and walk down the stairs. He didn’t stop watching the spot where Alec had been until he heard the door open and close downstairs. Magnus breathed out again, then in, the scent of Alec lingering in the air. Turning, he fumbled for his keys.

He’d just gotten the keys in the lock when his phone buzzed in his pocket. Pulling it out while opening the door, Magnus answered it without looking to see who was calling.

“Yes?” he asked, stepping through the door. He shook his head when he found the couch somehow tipped on its back, his books scattered everywhere, and Church watching yet again from his perch on the TV.

Magnus wasn’t surprised to find Church’s messes any more. He was however, surprised by the voice at the other end of the phone. “I didn’t want to give you time to forget about me again.” Alec’s voice made Magnus’ heart speed up. He wanted to say, I could never forget about you. But he was Magnus, so he didn’t.

“So, Magnus Bane, when can I see you again?”

Magnus felt a smile flit across his face, the spot on his cheek where Alec’s lips had briefly rested, burning, He waved his hand, righting the couch before plopping down to sit on it.

“Alexander,” he said, a smile spreading across his face. He loved the sound of the name on his tongue.

**Author's Note:**

> Hahahaha. Sorry, for being such a tease. Tomorrow I plan on having something new up both in this series and something Malec in the au-verse but not part of the series so please look for that. I’m still up for prompts for these two so throw 'em at me. And I promise, their first kiss will happen…soon. Give me all your AU prompts/requests!
> 
> Thanks for all the love, biscuits! =)


End file.
